Texas Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows was elected the new Texas Speaker of the House with the support of more Democrats than Republicans.
Forty-nine Democrats joined 36 Republicans to put Burrows over the top during the vote on Jan. 14, the opening day of the 89th Legislature in Austin.
The outcome was a blow to the more conservative branch of the Texas GOP, which did not want a speaker beholden to Democrats.
Fellow Republican David Cook received 55 votes, the lion’s share of the caucus.
Nine members of the 150-member lower chamber were present but did not vote, and one was absent. Seventy-six votes, a majority of the 150-member chamber, are needed to secure the speakership....
